By R.L. Bynum
North Carolina will likely lose the tag as the worst free-throw shooting team in the ACC soon after back-to-back perfect games from the line.
The issues that loomed large in some close losses earlier this season were nowhere to be found in the Tar Heels’ 82–55 victory over Florida State on Sunday at the Tucker Center in Tallahassee, Fla., after extending their streak of free-throw conversions to 19.
UNC coach Courtney Banghart credited the approach as much as the result.
“Every team’s got its own personality. I think this particular team really understands that there are growth steps to be made,” said Banghart, whose team was shooting 63.1% from the line before converting all 10 shots against Miami and all nine shots against FSU. “You tell them they’re not good at something, and they have an unbelievable ability to focus on it.”
It marked the first time in at least the past 23 seasons, dating to 2002–03, that UNC has made all of its free throws in two games over the course of a season, much less in back-to-back outings. Even after Sunday’s game, UNC still is last in the ACC at 65.5%, behind No. 17 Wake Forest (65.8%).
That focus has shown up in practice. Reniya Kelly, who didn’t get to the line after making both of her attempts in Thursday’s win over Miami, said the difference has been pressure and repetition.
“We can be in a gym all day, but it’s about adding pressure when we’re in the gym,” Kelly said. “I feel like we have increased the pressure, making free throws in practice … and it’s paying off now.”
The Tar Heels (15–5, 4–3 ACC) also rediscovered their shooting touch from beyond the arc.
After going 17 of 69 from 3-point range over the previous three games (24.6%), UNC knocked down 13 3-pointers, shooting 36.1%. It was the second-highest 3-pointers total of the season (UNC made 14 against Kansas State) and the best in ACC play.
“Every time we don’t make a three, I’m surprised,” said Banghart, adding that her confidence in UNC’s shooters hasn’t wavered. It was UNC’s ninth game this season with a double-digit 3-pointers total, bettering last season’s total of eight.
Four Tar Heels scored in double figures: Lanie Grant (14 points, four 3-pointers, 3 rebounds, 3 assists), Nyla Harris (13 points, team-high 6 rebounds), Ciera Toomey (12 points, 5 rebounds) and Kelly (11 points).
For Kelly, the recent surge has been as much mental as physical after she scored a career-high 24 points against Miami.
“I had to make the shift to know that I am a good player, and I can make shots,” said Kelly, who is 7 of 11 from outside the arc in the last two games, including making 3 of 6 against FSU. “Just believing in my shot, believing the work that I put in.”
In a top-heavy ACC, taking care of business against the bottom tier matters.
Florida State (6–13, 1–6) has a NET ranking of 110, and the win moved UNC to 2–0 against the league’s five teams with NET rankings lower than 100, following a 90–39 blowout of Boston College (255) earlier this season. The others are Wake Forest (116; UNC faces on the road Feb. 8), SMU (167; UNC hosts on Feb. 12) and Pittsburgh (247; UNC hosts on Feb. 22).
Banghart stressed that the preparation doesn’t change, saying, “We’re not a better team with anyone until we prove it.”
For Kelly, games like this reveal more than the score.
“You learn who is willing to put in the work to be tough each possession,” she said. “We’re trying to win this game to the best of our ability.”
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Carolina set the tone early, jumping out to a 12–4 lead after a 3-pointer and an inside bucket from Toomey while the Seminoles went more than five minutes without a field goal. Nyla Brooks’ 3-pointer snapped a four-minute UNC scoring drought and gave the Heels a 17–8 edge after one quarter.
A Kelly 3-pointer sparked a 15–3 run to close the first half, pushing the lead to 38–19 at the break. Elina Aarnisalo scored seven of her nine points during that stretch, which Banghart later tied back to defensive execution as UNC forced two of FSU’s 17 turnovers.
Banghart said that perimeter defense made a big difference, with Harris switching out at times to defend guards.
“I thought we were defending the ball better at the point of the ball,” said Banghart, whose team held FSU to 28.6% shooting. “I know we lost a lot of defensive accountability and reliability, but this group is really determined to be the best they can be defensively. I thought actually that our ability to guard the ball with a little bit of gap help, but really, one v. one was actually the difference.”
UNC continued to stretch the margin after halftime, opening the third quarter on an 8–0 run and eventually took a 61–35 lead into the final quarter. The advantage swelled to as many as 31 on a Jordan Zubich corner 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter.
Notes
— The Tar Heels play their second consecutive road game at 8 p.m. Thursday (ACC Network), facing Georgia Tech (8–11, 3–4). The Yellow Jackets lost 93–46 at Duke on Sunday night.
— Harris took an elbow to her left cheek from Pania Davis late in the first half, taking a long time to get up.
— Leading scorer Indya Nivar fouled out with four points, five rebounds, six assists and a steal.
— Laila Hull missed her second consecutive game after getting hurt in the Jan. 11 loss to Notre Dame, but all 13 available players played and all but one scored.
— It was UNC’s first win in Tallahassee since 2022, and the second consecutive victory against Florida State to push the Tar Heels’ lead in the all-time series to 34–19, including 15–9 at Tallahassee.
UNC 82, Florida State 55
| Team | League | Overall | NET* | WAB* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 13 Duke | 16–2 | 21–8 | 10 | 13 |
| No. 12 Louisville | 15–3 | 25–6 | 13 | 10 |
| No. 16 North Carolina | 14–4 | 25–6 | 19 | 14 |
| N.C. State | 13–5 | 20–9 | 23 | 27 |
| Syracuse | 12–6 | 22–7 | 40 | 31 |
| Virginia Tech | 12–6 | 22–8 | 41 | 34 |
| Notre Dame | 12–6 | 20–9 | 24 | 23 |
| Clemson | 11–7 | 20–10 | 44 | 40 |
| Virginia | 11–7 | 19–10 | 36 | 49 |
| California | 9–9 | 18–13 | 53 | 60 |
| Stanford | 8–10 | 19–12 | 42 | 56 |
| Miami | 8–10 | 16–13 | 58 | 65 |
| Georgia Tech | 7–10 | 12–17 | 76 | 109 |
| Florida State | 5–13 | 10–20 | 107 | 138 |
| Wake Forest | 4–14 | 14–16 | 121 | 134 |
| SMU | 2–16 | 9–21 | 220 | 209 |
| Pittsburgh | 1–17 | 8–23 | 262 | 238 |
| Boston College | 1–17 | 5–26 | 247 | 283 |
* — Through Sunday games
Thursday’s results
No. 16 North Carolina 82, Virginia 70
No. 12 Louisville 69, Georgia Tech 50
Notre Dame 72, Syracuse 62
Miami 79, Pittsburgh 58
N.C. State 65, Wake Forest 58
No. 13 Duke 80, Florida State 52
Stanford 87, SMU 57
Clemson 70, California 63
Sunday’s results
No. 16 North Carolina 74, No. 13 Duke 69
Virginia Tech 83, Virginia 82
Georgia Tech 79, Miami 49
N.C. State 93, Pittsburgh 43
Stanford 85, Clemson 50
Syracuse 90, Boston College 65
Notre Dame 65, No. 12 Louisville 62
Florida State 77, Wake Forest 74, OT
California 78, SMU 34
End of regular season
ACC tournament
Gas South Arena
Duluth, Ga.
March 4–8
| Date | Day/month | Scores | Opponent/event (current ranks) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | ||||
| 30 | Thursday | L, 91–82 | No. 4 South Carolina in Atlanta | Exhib. |
| November | ||||
| 3 | Monday | W, 90–42 | vs. N.C. Central | 1–0 |
| 6 | Thursday | W, 71–37 | vs. Elon | 2–0 |
| WBCA Challenge Las Vegas | ||||
| 13 | Thursday | L, 78–60 | vs. No. 2 UCLA | 2–1 |
| 15 | Saturday | W, 82–68 | vs. Fairfield | 3–1 |
| ——————————— | ||||
| 20 | Thursday | W, 85–50 | at N.C. A&T | 4–1 |
| 23 | Sunday | W, 94–48 | vs. UNCG | 5–1 |
| Cancun Challenge Cancun, Mexico | ||||
| 27 | Thursday | W, 83–48 | vs. South Dakota St. | 6–1 |
| 28 | Friday | W, 85–73 | vs. Kansas State | 7–1 |
| 29 | Saturday | W, 80–63 | vs. Columbia | 8–1 |
| December | ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge | |||
| 4 | Thursday | W, 79–64 | at No. 3 Texas | 8–2 |
| ——————————— | ||||
| 7 | Sunday | W, 82–40 | vs. Boston Univ. | 9–2 |
| 14 | Sunday | L, 76–66, OT | vs. No. 13 Louisville | 9–3, 0–1 ACC |
| 17 | Wednesday | W, 84–34 | vs. UNCW | 10–3 |
| 21 | Sunday | W, 93–74 | vs. Charleston Southern | 11–3 |
| 29 | Monday | W, 90–38 | at Boston College | 12–3, 1–1 ACC |
| January | ||||
| 1 | Thursday | W, 71–55 | vs. California | 13–3, 2–1 |
| 4 | Sunday | L, 77–71, OT | vs. Stanford | 13–4, 2–2 |
| 11 | Sunday | L, 73–50 | at No. 22 Notre Dame | 13–5, 2–3 |
| 15 | Thursday | W, 73–62 | vs. Miami | 14–5, 3–3 |
| 18 | Sunday | W, 82–55 | at Florida State | 15–5, 4–3 |
| 22 | Thursday | W, 54–46 | at Georgia Tech | 16–5, 5–3 |
| 25 | Sunday | W, 77–71, OT | vs. Syracuse | 17–5, 6–3 |
| February | ||||
| 2 | Monday | W, 61–59 | at N.C. State | 18–5, 7–3 |
| 5 | Thursday | W, 53–44 | vs. Clemson | 19–5, 8–3 |
| 8 | Sunday | W, 84–56 | vs. Wake Forest | 20–5, 9–3 |
| 12 | Thursday | W, 94–42 | vs. SMU | 21–5, 10–3 |
| 15 | Sunday | L, 72–68 | at No. 8 Duke | 21–6, 10–4 |
| 19 | Thursday | W, 66–63, OT | at Virginia Tech | 22–6, 11–4 |
| 22 | Sunday | W, 78–50 | vs. Pittsburgh | 23–6, 12–4 |
| 26 | Thursday | W, 82–70 | at Virginia | 24–6, 13–4 |
| March | ||||
| 1 | Sunday | W, 72–69 | vs. No. 8 Duke | 25–6, 14–4 |
| ACC tournament | Gas South Arena, Duluth, Ga. | |||
| 6 | Friday | W, 85–68 | Quarterfinal vs. Va. Tech | 26–6 |
| 7 | Saturday | L, 65–57 | Semifinal vs. No. 13 Louisville | 26–7 |
| NCAA tournament Fort Worth 1 Regional | ||||
| 21 | Friday | W, 82–51 | First round in Chapel Hill: vs. Western Illinois | 27–7 |
| 23 | Sunday | W, 74–66 | Second round in Chapel Hill: No. 17 Maryland | 28–7 |
| 27 | Friday | L, 63–52 | Sweet 16 in Fort Worth, Texas: vs. No. 1 UConn | 28–8 |
Photos courtesy of UNC Athletics
